Presidential Secretariat's Deputy for Protocol, Press and Media, Bey Machmudin said in a statement obtained here on Tuesday, the president stopped and observed the destructed building, when his car passed by the market in his visit to North Lombok District.
The president has instructed Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono to immediately renovate the market.
On early Tuesday, the president, commonly known as Jokowi, has inspected Tanjung Hospital in North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province, which was also damaged by the strong quake.
He was accompanied by Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Chief of Presidential Staff Moeldoko, Police Chief General Tito Karnavian, Military Chief Air Chief Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Willem Rampangilei, and West Nusa Tenggara Governor Muhammad Zainul Majdi.
The president walked from his tent set up at the hospital's front yard to observe the building closely, and continue his visit to Pemenang police precinct by car before stopping at the damaged market.
Jokowi has instructed the minister to renovate Tanjung hospital and market immediately.
"We will start the renovation this week," Basuki said.
Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara Province has thrice been hit by strong earthquakes. The first quake, measuring 6.4 on Richter Scale, rocked the resort island on July 29, while the second major quake hit it on August 5.
On August 9, another major quake, measuring 6.2 on the Richter Scale, again hit Lombok when workers were still busy looking for victims being buried under the rubble of buildings that collapsed after the magnitude-7 earthquake shook the island.
Reporting by Agus Salim
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Sri Haryati
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